Wilmington's town election, Senate primary to be held on same day

WILMINGTON -- Voters will head to the polls just once this spring after the Board of Selectmen voted to push back the date of the town election to coincide with the Senate primary.

Both elections will take place Tuesday, April 30, using two separate ballots.

"The big thing is voter convenience," said Town Clerk Sharon George. "I think it will work out very well."

The municipal election was originally scheduled for April 27, but the state gave communities the option of holding the two votes in tandem to keep costs down.

The Senate election will determine who fills the seat vacated by John Kerry when he became secretary of state.

On the town ballot, voters will elect members to the Board of Selectmen, the School Committee, the Shawsheen Regional Technical High School Committee and the Housing Authority.

Incumbent Selectmen Mike Newhouse and Lou Cimaglia have both pulled papers to run for re-election. They'll face a challenge from past candidate Daniel Murphy, whose nomination papers have been certified, and potentially one from Kevin MacDonald, a past candidate and vocal critic of the board. MacDonald, along with Newhouse and Cimaglia, has not yet been certified as a candidate, George said.

A six-way race is shaping up for three seats on the School Committee after Robert Hayes announced he would not run for re-election.

DeFeo has also pulled papers for the Housing Authority and the Shawsheen Tech School Committee, which makes her the only challenger against incumbents Robert DiPasquale and Robert Peterson, respectively.

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